MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Famous Dave's of America, Inc. (Nasdaq:DAVE) announces the opening of its newest fast casual Famous Dave BBQ Shack in Evergreen Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The new 3,600 square-foot restaurant, slated to open Monday, November 19, is located at 2855 W. 95th Street, directly across from Little Company of Mary Hospital.

"Evergreen Park is the perfect location for our new fast-casual restaurant prototype," said John Gilbert, chief executive officer at Famous Dave's of America. "With seating for 102 guests, quick counter-service for To-Go orders, and convenient online ordering, we are confident that this new company-owned restaurant will be well-received in the community. This prototype is new for us and matches this fast paced neighborhood perfectly. 

"This is our eighth company-owned restaurant in the state as we further leverage our brand with a range of store designs, each created to match a specific customer opportunity. We're not selling fast food, we're selling slow cooked, made-from-scratch, award winning food. We just know our customers want it quickly and that's what we do; slow cooked food for those in a hurry."

Open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., guests can enjoy both lunch and dinner in the new Evergreen Park restaurant. Guests can dine in or order To Go by calling 708-423-5546. Catering for events and social gatherings is also available. Online ordering is available at www.famousdaves.com.

Famous Dave's offers a hearty roundup of award-winning ribs, hickory smoked meats, and other BBQ favorites, such as St. Louis-Style Ribs brushed with Rich & Sassy® Sauce, Texas Beef Brisket, Georgia Chopped Pork, Country-Roasted Chicken, Wilbur Beans, Creamy Coleslaw and Dave's Famous Bread Pudding. A Lil' Wilbur Kid's Menu includes classic kid favorites, such as Macaroni & Cheese, and Chicken Tenders.

For more information, including a full menu and other restaurant locations, please visit www.famousdaves.com.

About Famous Dave's Legendary Pit BBQ

Famous Dave's of America, Inc. (Nasdaq:DAVE) is proud to be the world's most successful BBQ franchise, selling more BBQ than any other restaurant franchise. Famous Dave's best-selling BBQ has won more than 600 awards for everything from Best Ribs to Best BBQ Sauce to Top Barbeque Restaurant Franchise. Famous Dave's is passionate about BBQ excellence, slow-cooking the BBQ on-site for hours over smoldering hickory wood in authentic pit smokers. The menu features scratch-recipe cookin' and in addition to the award-winning barbequed and grilled meats and chicken, guests can enjoy a large selection of salads, side items and sandwiches, and home-baked desserts. Famous Dave's of America, Inc. develops, owns, operates and franchises barbeque restaurants. The company owns 53 locations and franchises 133 additional units in 33 states and one Canadian province (as of the third quarter fiscal 2012 earnings release dated October 24, 2012). Select territories are available for franchising. For more information, visit www.famousdaves.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/famousdaves.

The Famous Dave's of America, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7726

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical, including but not limited to statements regarding the timing of our restaurant openings and the timing or success of our expansion plans, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause the company's actual results to differ materially from expected results. Although Famous Dave's of America, Inc. believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectation will be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Famous Dave's expectation include financial performance, restaurant industry conditions, execution of restaurant development and construction programs, franchisee performance, changes in local or national economic conditions, availability of financing, governmental approvals and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's SEC reports.

Note to Editors: Contact Kelly Olson (612-483-5685 or kellyolsonpr@gmail.com) for interviews, photography and other requests.

CONTACT: Kelly Olson
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